The first three years of my Blog follow my journey settling in to life following my move to Colombia in 2012.
After yet another a break from Blogging, I am back, but with a change of emphasis, due to health problems, I have been spending less and less time in the workshop, so decided I either had to close the Blog, or revert to it's original use...a diary! So thats what I am doing, it feels good to be back.

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Monday, 13 January 2014

What a day!

My head is spinning, I have spent the last two days searching for both a Car and Motorbike, we have appointments lined up on Wednesday and Thursday to look at houses, so transport was next on the list.

We made a number of enquiries, and it appeared that a Hyundai Tucson was going to be the best buy, I wanted a 4x4, or at least something capable to driving in the Campo, and also pulling a trailer, until this week-end we had only seriously considered a Mitsubishi Montero, or a Renault Duster, but on local advice the Tucson joined the list. Hyundai is a popular make here, most of the Taxis are Hyundai.

The day didn't start too well, Marcela returned from her massage, and prepared her breakfast, I called her into the office, and on her return, she did a double take, she was sure she had put two slices of bread on her plate, but there was only one, then she saw Pépe licking his lips, little thief! say no more.

We set off mid morning, for Medellin, we had arranged to view a Tucson 2.0 Diesel, it is a 2009 model, in white, initially Marcela had said she would never have a white vehicle, because here for some reason, they are the target of thieves. However, you can't get much whiter than 'The Elk', for the year it is in excellent condition, and at a good price, it all came down to the part exchange offer for the Corsa, they walked around it, huffing and puffing, and then made the offer, I nearly fell over, it took us all of thirty seconds to accept, it was far more than we had expected.

'The Elk'

Firstly, we took the car for an independent inspection, which it passed with flying colours, we thought we would be paying a deposit, and returning, but things are far easier here, and it was all done, Bank draft, pay all taxes, and a visit to the Notary, and we drove off a bit gingerly, because the insurance side is totally different here. Every car has to have SOAT, which is a compulsory insurance that covers any personal injury, but not the car, and that is all that is required, when you sell a car, the insurance goes with it, if you have an accident that is your fault, and no vehicle insurance you have to cough up for the damage. So we made it safely to the Commercial Centre for lunch, and Marcela being in the trade, arranged the insurance, which is on a par with Europe price wise, and why so many don't buy it.

After lunch, we headed headed off to look at a bike that had been advertised, but once we found the place, it had been sold, he tried to sell me a new Honda Shadow 1000cc for 30,000,000 COP, nice bike, made my old 750cc look like a doll's toy, but I didn't pay that for the car, I am certainly not paying it for a bike! Oh well, I'll just have to keep looking.

We didn't get home until about 5pm, Pépe had fortunately been on his best behaviour, so I immediately took him for a walk. Now I am jiggered, and doing nothing else!